DON'T LOVE THE BIG BOSS

Twenty Years Ago.

GIOVANNI.

When I woke up, I found myself in cage. Looking up, I saw that my friends or so I thought, had surrounded me. They looked very happy to see me struggling to move around in the little cage they had placed me in.

"G... Gaston! Please. I don't like this kind of play." I pleaded, stretching my little hands out through the railings. My eyes were starting to water as I struggled harder to get hold of my elder brother's fabric like my life depended on it.

"And who said we were playing? You are a slave, slaves belong in cages and dirt. Stop whining." He replied as our friends- his friends cackkled like he had just cracked the funniest joke of the century.

"But... but... we.. we are brothers." I stuttered out, almost choking on the word, 'brothers.'

"Not by choice but by force. Call us brothers again and next time would not be a cage but a large river. Let's go, guys."

Gaston concluded as he began to walk towards the path that led out of the woods, one I was never familiar with no matter how hard I tried to, his friends followed as they all chatted away. Tears began to fall down my face as I watched their silhouettes disappear.

We were sent to summer camp to mix with people from another part of the world and have more knowledge about how relationships between people were since we had always been indoors and home schooled all our lives. We lived in the coven of our large house acting like we were just a normal billionaire family to the public even though behind closed doors, we were one of the biggest Mafia families.

There were several families like ours in the Italian society and we all knew each other and had meetings frequently. Father was the boss of all, and according to the history we were taught, he had overthrown the former Mafia boss in a sneaky way and then took his place. Other Mafia families feared him due to the fact that he was a very dangerous man. He owned numerous businesses, both legal and illegal. He also inherited a popular label named after the family name, Callisto, one that he had succeeded in establishing to over twelve countries around the world after grandfather was murdered.

The callisto label was actually what the people of the public knew our family for. The label was known for manufacturing fashion luxury goods. lifestyle accessories, furniture, fragrances, watches, jewelry, ready-to-wear, lingerie, shoes, heels, cosmetics and many more. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, makeup, fragrances, and home decoration. Callisto label was founded in 1901 by Alessandro Callisto, our grandfather.

Now, coming to united states for summer camp was supposed to be a whole new experience and one full of good memories for me but Gaston being the bully that he was had succeeded in turning most of the kids against me by fabricating lies and spreading stories about me. We were both popular as soon as we walked through the gates of the camp, partly due to the limousine that dropped us off and the other part due to the fact that we were the only Italians. I remember a kid asking me why we had come all the way from italy just for summer camp and I only kept mute, not wanting to tell her that father just wanted us to be faraway from home and learn to be on our own. To him, it was some kind of training we had to undergo to become men as he had put it.

I remained seated in the uncomfortable cage, hoping that Gaston would have a change of mind soon and come to unlock the cage. I heard a little rustling coming from the dried leaves on the ground as I immediately looked up to see a girl around my age coming towards me with a confused look on her face. As she moved closer, her familiarity hit me, she was the same girl who had asked why I came all the way to United states from Italy for summer camp. She had told me that her name was Kiki.

"Oh my God, are you okay? Did your brother do this to you again?" She questioned, her voice laced with utmost concern as she began to look around for what she could use to open the cage. It wasn't news that Gaston bullied me, although most of the kids and adults saw it as normal sibling playful rivalry.

After a while, she finally succeeded getting me out of the cage.

Ever since then, we became friends, she would always stand up for me whenever Gaston and his friends tried to bully me and we did almost everything together. Then Gaston began to make the kids bully her too for hanging out with me and always standing up to him, but she didn't mind.

Few days to the end of camp, she was accused of stealing some amount of money from the finance master, a total of five thousand dollars. She kept saying she didn't do such a thing but when her bag was searched, they had found the money in it. She was to face the panel the next day when we both overheard Gaston and his friends talking a night before that day.

"Did you see her face when they found the money in her bag, it was so hilarious. We did such a good job, Nate, I hope that will teach her to always mind her business and to know whose path she shouldn't cross." Gaston said as he laughed.

"Right? It's even more believable since she looks as poor as a church rat anyways." Nate added as they all burst into another fit of laughter.

Kiki and I exchanged looks before she decided to make her presence known, "Looks like your secret is out, Gaston." She said as she walked towards them.

Gaston looked surprised but was able to mask it quickly, " and who's going to tell?" He asked smiling mischievously.

"Me." Kiki replied with so much confidence.

"Oh, nobody's going to believe you, Stronza. Vaffanculo!" Gaston cursed at her in Italian language as I shook my head while still hiding in the shadows. Father had always warned him not to use those words, they meant asshole and go fuck yourself respectively.

"Speak in English, idiot. And of course they would especially since I've got an additional witness!" She replied as she pointed at me. And then she stormed off, probably to report the situation to the adults. Gaston stomped towards me and then he dragged me by my collar.

The next day, Kiki and I were summoned, so were Gaston and his friends. She narrated all that she heard the previous night to the adults, looking towards me at intervals as if expecting me to back her up, but I was so scared to even look at anybody's face.

"She's lying, she's such a liar. She's trying to frame me up for something that she obviously did. I mean, you know me, you know who my father is. Why would I steal, my parents can give me way more than that." Gaston defended himself shamelessly.

"It's not about the money, its about the fact that you just want to make me the thief. Even your brother knows that you're lying." Kiki retorted.

"Really? Giovanni, we are going to depend on you to get to the end of this matter. Did you and kiki really hear Gaston and his friends talking about stealing the money just to frame kiki up like she said?" One of the adults seated directed at me while I struggled not to meet any of their eyes.

"She...she..." I then looked up only to meet my brother's eyes, he smiled mischievously at me as if daring me to throw him under the bus. The memory from the night before came rushing, "remember what dad always told us, family over friends, family over girls, family over everything. If he discovers that you did otherwise, imagine how angry he'd be at you."

And then I answered, "She's lying."

KIKI.

I don't like Monday mornings or people who like Monday mornings.

Do I also hate my jobs? Heck yes. But do they afford me the ability to go on lavish vacations and buy anything I want? Also, no. Now, will I stop doing these jobs? Absolutely not! I mean, there's no job anywhere so I'll take what I get. It's not my fault, I just do not like stress. It's really not me, it's just how I was born. But then, this world? My reality? All it ever throws at me is stress and hardships not even a single lemon so I can make some freaking lemonades!

"Oh my God! It looks like we are throwing a freaking party in here!" One of my coworkers exclaimed as I walked out of the restroom only to find more customers in the store.

It's not like this doesn't happen on clearance weeks but we still can't seem to get used to it despite experiencing it so many times.

"Well, if only boss here can do what's necessary and hire more staffs, we wouldn't be so crowded." I said ignoring the glare my boss was throwing at me.

"If we get more staffs, your salaries reduce and if it reduces, you don't have enough to spend and if you don't have enough to spend then you won't be able to afford the cobbler's appointments to fix that same heels you've been wearing for the past three years over and over and if you can't afford to fix those heels then you'd be coming here on slippers and if you show up to work on slippers, you get fired. Now, do you want to get fired, Kiki?" Sam, my boss asked rhetorically while I just rolled my eyes at him because all that he just said sounded to me like, "yeah, so we're gonna be short-staffed forever so if you can work yourself to death, that'd be great!"

I have worked as a sales associate in the same luxury brand company known as Callisto, one of the renowned and influential luxury brands in the world, and also a genuine global reference for fashion and accessories for over five years and as sales associates, we are typically the first touchpoint that potential customers have to the company. Not only do we gain hands-on experience selling directly to consumers, but we also have the opportunity to represent the company and achieve valuable knowledge about products and services.

I took a walk towards a woman who had one of the very expensive mini bags in our store in her hands, a man who I presumed to be her boyfriend or husband was right beside her looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Good day ma'am. Would you like to own that bag you're holding?" I asked politely.

"Of course, why else would It be in my hands? Is it the most expensive? I want the latest and most expensive Callisto bag in this store." The woman said, talking in an undoubtingly berating manner but I was used to it.

Working in a luxury brand store as a sales associate, I've had my share of wealthy people always talking down on me, I've been insulted several times both in person and on call when I decide to stand in for one of my friends in the customer service section. One thing that was common amongst the fans of this luxury brand is their pride and unnecessary need to make others feel less of themselves just to make them look more high class. Of course, there are amazingly sweet, polite and respectful ones amongst them, but they are like a drop of water in a mighty ocean.

"I'm sorry ma'am but this handbag is not the latest nor the most expensive in the store." I said as I began to walk towards the opposite section as they followed me. "The Callisto Verona crocodile shoulder bag is the latest and most expensive. It costs fourty thousand and five hundred dollars. It has only been bought by Princess Vittoria of Savoy, the famous Italian princess and Grace xumberg, one of the famous Hollywood celebrities. It is available in limited colors also, navy green, sky blue and burnt orange." I explained as I carefully took the bag off the shelf.

It was a sky blue bag that has a crocodile skin and if I would be honest, wasn't even all that. It was quite ugly and all but trust the fans to always buy them. The brand name is of utmost importance to them and maybe their longevity also because of the original materials they use in making them, but if I was asked if it's worth it, I'd honestly give a big fat no. That was one money that could rent me a very comfortable house in Texas, heck, forget housing, it'd even do a whole lot in my unorganized life as a whole. And that money is about to sit in someone's closet as a damn bag.

The gap between the rich and the poor is just so huge. What a world.

I handed the bag over to the woman as she stared at it in awe. Her boyfriend simply rolled his eyes at her action not understanding what was amusing about the bag. And then he looked back at me, it was then that I noticed the winks he had been throwing at me. I simply smiled in an awkward manner as I quickly averted my eyes, I found myself unconsciously drawing the collars of my shouldersirt together even when my cleavage wasn't out in the open.

"Tell me you did not just smile and flash your tits at my man!" The woman suddenly snapped as I looked at her in instant shock, not understanding how she even deduced that.

"What do you mean, ma'am? Why would I do such a thing?" I replied trying to remain as polite as possible.

"Baby, did she not just flash her damn brown tits at you?" She asked her so called man, adding a bit of racism that I decided to just ignore.

"Uhm... Yes. She did, she has been winking for a while now."

"Wait, what? What the heck are you talking about? Wink at you?" I exclaimed, ultimately shocked.

"Hy, ma'am, sir... and Kiki. What is going on here?" Sam asked as he stepped into the situation. I was still trying to check if this was some kind of prank or something.

"Why don't you ask the whore that you employed as a salesgirl, huh? Is she here to sell luxurious products or her fat body? She sure as hell can't be doing both!" The woman snapped yet again, succeeding in gathering people's attention this time. .

" Ma'am, you have to stay calm. Kiki, what happened?"

"I don't even understand this situation either. I was here trying to sell the Callisto Verona crocodile shoulder bag to her when all of a sudden she said I was flashing my tits at her man and her man also added that I even winked at him even though he was literally the one who did that not me." I explained, almost sounding out of breath.

"Oh please, why would I wink at you when I've got this amazing beauty right beside me? Its like leaving barbie and going for shrek. Come on, that makes no sense at all." The man mocked. I heard a familiar voice snicker behind me as I turned to see Sarah, the one and only bitch of a coworker that I had.

"Uhm... Sir, we are really sorry for whatever she did. We apologize for her wrongdoings, we'll be sure to get her punished for it. Kiki, apologize to the couple." Sam said after throwing me the look of unapproval as usual.

"Oh, hell no! No no no! Not today! I won't let you just throw me under the bus. This couple just accused me of what I didn't do, proceeded to insult me vigorously while at it and you're telling me to apologize even when they are wrong? That customers are always right phrase does not count in this part, Sam, it doesn't. It wouldn't cost anything for you to check the CCTV and see who the liar is. There's only one slut here and it ain't me. Oh, including Sarah so make that two."

"Kiki, are you on drugs?" Sam asked.

"Oh, dear boss. You and I know that you do not pay me enough money to even have drug problems." I replied with a sickly sweet voice.

"What a rude bitch!" The woman contributed yet again.

"Kiki dear. Your shift is over already. Don't complicate issues, please." Rose, my friend whispered to me as she begun to drag me away from the scene.

"Watch how the sales associate of the year take care of the situation." Sarah said as she walked onto the same spot I was standing with the biggest smile on her face.

When we got into the employees' room, I immediately let out everything that I had been struggling I keep in.

"Gosh, I have never been so embarrassed for a while now. I can't believe she accused me of falshing my beautiful tits at that sorry excuse of a man. One that I would never even give a second look even if he walked up to me. And all the people giving approving nods at what she said? Gosh, if idiots could fly, this place would be a freaking airport! You know what, screw this job and every single customer and employee in it!"

"You keep saying that yet you continue to show up for work everyday and even on time." Rose said with a smirk on her face.

"No, this is different. I'm damn serious right now, I don't even care anymore, I am done."

"Wait, let me count how many times you've said this, oh yeah, a million times yet you keep working so hard each passing day."

"Stop rubbing salt on my wound, girl. You're so annoying, I hate you so much." I snapped at her, hating the fact that she was right.

"Oh, I know damn well that you mean the opposite of that."

"Fuck you. I'm leaving!" I said as I grabbed my bag and stormed out of the room."

"Wait, you didn't change out of the employees' t-shirt." I heard her say but I was too pissed to even go back.

GIOVANNI.

Call me crazy but when I was a little boy, all I wanted to be was one of mother's numerous brand bags. As stupid as that may sound, that was the only dream I had. While my peers dreamt of becoming doctors, writers, singers and many other reasonable careers, I wanted to be the most important bag in her closet. The one she carried on most occasions with her even though she had other hundreds to choose from.

I always felt, at least, that way, I'd enjoy the attention and love she doted on them. Even though I'd definitely be discarded later on, I didn't mind. As a kid, the little amount of time I'd enjoy the care didn't matter as long as I got that attention.

I never for once felt loved by mother no matter how much efforts she puts into acting like she cares, it just didn't feel the same with what my siblings got. Maybe it had to do with the hatred she spills on my birthdays in form of affection.

Ever since I could remember, on my birthdays, mother would get a cake for me and she'd ask me to make a wish while she'd also make one for me and then we'd tell each other what we asked for, she chose to whisper mine in my ears as she said telling it to everyone present would jinx the wishes she had for me. The very first birthday it happened, I was six years old and as young as I was, that was one day that could never be erased from my memory, not even the partial amnesia I had when I was eighteen made me forget it.

After blowing out the six candles on my birthday cake this particular day, I asked my mom what she wished for me and then she moved closer to me and whispered, "I wished that you'd get lost, I wished that you never stayed alive for this long. I wished that you'd at least die before your next birthday and leave my family alone because you cause us so much pain."

As at that time, I didn't even know how to react to what she whispered into my ears. I didn't understand why a mother would wish her own son so much evil nor did I understand what pain I was causing my own family, but as naive as I was, before I slept that night, I prayed to God to take me so that I won't cause more pains to my family. Apparently, God had His own plans because I got through each birthday hale and hearty, despite the curses mother whispered into my ears every single birthday of mine, non of her wishes came through neither did my naive prayers work.

As I stared around me, looking from Mother to Gaston to Father and then to Imelda, I couldn't help but feel out of place as usual. I always dread our family meetings because it was always about making me feel miserable and unwanted most of the time.

While Gaston tries so hard to throw me under the bus at any slight opportunity, mother acts like she loves us equally by standing up for me even though it was always very obvious that this was pure acting she puts up in front of father. And Imelda tries so hard to speak against each ill words or lies spoken about me, genuinely while father just acts like he doesn't notice that it's all a plot against me and chooses to listen to his wife anyways.

One big happy family is what the public calls us, but I call us chaos.

"Gigi should be the one to go to the United States, what are we even having this meeting for?" Gastone said dismissively.

"Oh come on, Gaston. None of you should go to a country that faraway, you are all important." Mother opposed, throwing at me that overly fake smile I'm very much used to.

I always smile back nonetheless and this time wasn't different.

"I don't care, mamma. I already head the branch here, am I supposed to split into two? It's only natural that he goes there. He's as useless as anything anyways, he needs to make himself more useful." Gaston responded with a scowl.

"Useless you say! Yet he's the one who made the company earn more than usual in the past three years with his ideas and hard work while you stay in the spotlight acting like you did the work! You lie unprovoked, Gaston." Imelda countered our elder brother.

"Imelda! You shouldn't say that!" Mother scolded.

"I don't think Giovanni should go. Gaston should, Giovanni is the one doing most of work here, who'll do the things he's been doing or give the ideas he keeps dropping?" Father spoke in my favor for the very first time in years.

Well, since it concerns his company, he'd of course do that.

"You don't expect my son to go to a country he hasn't been to since he was a kid. The branch there isn't even doing so well. Not under my watch will I let you send my son to a country so far away from home." Mother said while Gaston snuggles closer to her like a toddler, must be nice to have someone who stands with you no matter what, I can't really relate to that.

"Yes mamma, I'd prefer to go head the one in Japan. They're the country that buys our products the most anyway. By the way, this one fits in more since he's Afro-Italian anyways, his mother has their skin color so he'll be fine." Gaston added.

"Tell me you're dumb without telling me you're dumb. For Christ's sake, it's America not Africa. Do you not know the difference? The united states has beings with various skin tones. Why are you so dumb?" Imelda countered as usual.

"Well, it doesn't change the fact that his mother is a black American, does it? One who thought getting pregnant for papa would get her a spot in the Callisto family." He said again.

I clenched my fists by my sides while I breathe in and out.

"Racism isn't nice, Gaston and my biological mother doesn't have anything to do with what is even on ground right now. You're hardly making any sense." I said as calmly as I could.

Walking on egg shells has always been what I do in this house, even when they throw insults at me, call me a bastard or even openly criticize everything I do, all I do is smile and reply calmly even when I have the urge to punch or insult them right back. I still had the belief that mother would come to love me as she loved Gaston if only I make myself look worthy of her love. I believed that doing everything to please my family will ease whatever pain I was causing them.

"Don't even dare to correct me, bastard." Gaston retorts. Father and Imelda threw him a silent glare while I chose to just ignore him.

"Father, I would like to go to America and help the company with whatever problems and issues that could be causing it to sink. It's not a problem at all." I finally said agreeing to their wants.

"You're always such a good son, Giovanni. Well done, I look forward to the new ideas that'll bring the company in that country to the level of other branches." Father complimented while mother and Gaston scoffed.

Minutes after mother and father left to attend to whatever. Gaston walked up to me with his usual mission to bully.

"You do know that your motives to make me look bad while you take all the credits is never going to work, right? You can grovel on the ground, act like goody two shoes, do everything Papa wants from you and he'd still choose me over you anytime and day. That's the difference between the real son and the bastard that was born in an attempt to ruin the family. I hope you'd finally go to that wretched country and never come back."

I stared at him like he was just spitting out trash even though he was getting to me as he was an expert at. Keeping my emotions boxed in has always been so easy, since I can always get into the ring to let them all out.

Just when I thought he was done, he continued, "and don't forget to take a lot of bug repellants along with you, we both know how scared you are of any little thing that crawls and I learnt that this village has lots of them." He concluded and then strutted away with a victorious smirk on his face like he was just told that he was the new president of the Callisto group.

"For the last time, Gaston, America is not Africa. And Africa is not just a village. Educate yourself, you stupid twat. You had better use your nose mask, brother before you catch some of those stupidity." Imelda countered yet again while Gaston just glared at her refusing to accept that he was wrong, before disappearing into the hallway.

As if on cue to what he said about bugs, I spotted a spider on its web coming right on top of me as I jumped off the seat in utmost fright. Imelda had a good laugh at my reaction.